Friday, March 20, 2009

Grady Adams, Grand Master of American-Canadian GL in Germany Dies

Right Worshipful Brother Grady Adams, Grand Master of American-Canadian Grand Lodge of Germany, has passed away. Adams had just arrived in Bahrain, and as he was descending the plane's ramp, he was struck with an apparent heart attack. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Please keep his wife Efli in your thoughts and prayers.

The ACGL is actually a grand lodge that operates as part of the United Grand Lodges of Germany (VGLvD). Freemasonry throughout Germany's history has been riddled with schisms, rivalry and unusual development, both before world War II and after. Several rival grand lodges arose in the country after the war, and foreign grand lodges chartered lodges and Masonic clubs for the Allied troops and contractors who were there in large numbers to rebuild the country. In 1946, a British-chartered "Square and Compass Club" in Frankfort petitioned the Grand Lodge of Oregon to start a military lodge, and Oregon Military Lodge U.D. was established with 56 members. Grand Lodges of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Texas and others soon established their own lodges across Germany for their English-speaking brethren. The American-Canadian Provinical Grand Lodge was organized in 1962 as part of the United Grand Lodges of Germany, and today comprises 44 lodges in Germany, as well as the Middle East, where they operate while keeping a very low profile.

4 comments:

A very good friend who works for Union Pacific RR was raised to the sublime Degree in this GL. I was the first line signer for his York Rite Degrees. He received his Degrees while in the U.S. military in Germany. The ritual in this GL would be, according to him, recognizable but yet different to any American Mason. However the same message gets across. BTW, Specialis Procer Lodge, U.D., had its stated tonight in Des Moines, and a festive board featuring a presentation by WM Davis of Lodge Vitruvian was enjoyed by all.

Regarding the ritual of the AmCAN in Germany, I believe it's a variation of the Preston-Webb(as I experienced it while participating in it; it is also described as emanating primarily from rituals used by NY and CT). Depending on the GL in Germany (they are under a compact of union with five GLs participating), one may practice the wide-spread Schroeder Rite, the AmCAN, the Swedish, and Emulation. Due to Schroeder's influence, there may be some similarities between the non-Swedish Rite German GLs, although they do have their distinct differences, as do the Swedish Rite German Masons with their Scandinavian counterparts.

The ritual used by the AMCAN lodges is primarily based on those used by NY and CT and is, therefore, of Preston-Webb origin.

The American Canadian Grand Lodge is one of five grand lodges in Germany, united by mutual compact as the United Grand Lodges of Germany. Some practice rituals influenced by the Schroeder Rite; one uses a variation of the Swedish Rite; one uses Emulation (primarily by English expats).

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